After suffering their sixth straight loss Wednesday, the Nats tried to shake things up. The direction of the race was switched, with the presidents now running towards a finish line on the third base side of the field. More significantly, a familiar but suspicious pattern suggests that the team revived its longstanding ban on Teddy Roosevelt victories at the same time.

On Thursday, the presidents ran left for the first time all season, and Teddy took a huge lead into the home stretch, but stumbled as if on queue, falling flat on his face just short of the finish line.

The next day, the Rally Cicada returned to Nationals Park, and appeared ready to ambush Teddy along the finish line. The bug arrived late and missed Teddy completely, yet Teddy pretended to be tripped and fell just short of victory.

Nats play-by-play announcer Bob Carpenter captured it best. “This town loves a good conspiracy,” he said on the broadcast. “That was the worst, ever.”

On Saturday, the Rough Rider once again took a big lead into the home stretch, but Abe Lincoln was waiting in ambush, and jumped out of the stands along the third base line, tackling Teddy to the ground, allowing George Washington to race by for the win. On Sunday, George Washington slammed into Teddy with a bicycle.

Teddy had won five races this season, but none on this homestand, and the team has won 4 of 5 games since the changes. If superstition holds, Teddy may be in for a long rest of the summer.